Stabilizator.



T. 1). GREER.

STABILIZATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 12, 1912.

Patented 001:. 15, 1912.

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T. 1 GREER.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

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THOMAS D. GREEK, OF NORTON, KANSAS.

STABILIZATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedOct. 15, 1912.

Application filed January 12, 1912. Serial No. 670,809.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS D. Gnnnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norton, in the county of Norton and State of Kansas, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Stabilizators, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to stabilizators for flying machines, the primaryobject of the provide a stabilizator which may be applied to anyexisting type of machine, and which when adjusted to position foroperation will act as a plumb lever to exert pressure on the machinethrough the force of gravity to bring it back to a state of equilibrium.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a verticallongitudinal section through a flying machine embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the action of the stabilizatorwhen the machine tilts longitudinally in one direction. Fig. 3 is asectional plan view on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a frontelevation illustrating the action of the stabilizator when the machinetilts laterally in one direction.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a flying machine' of anyconventional type, which may be provided with any of the usual steeringand balancing controls. Fixed at a suitable point to the machine is atube or guide member 2, secured in position in any preferred manner, andof any length and diameter suitable for the purpose. Arranged to slidevertically in this tube or guide member, or perpendicularly to the planeof the machine, is a rod 3, provided with a weighted lower end 4. Thisrod is rigid against deflection, and is movable in a fixed plane. Theweight 4 may be of any suitable shape and size as occasion may demand inthe application of the in- 3 vention to different types and sizes offlying machines.

A cord or cable 5 is attached at one end to the weight or lower end ofthe rod and passes upwardly around a guide pulley or sheave 6, andthence extends to and winds around a drum 7 mounted on a control shaft 8provided with a hand wheel 9, whereby the stabilizer rod and weight maybe vertically adjusted. The shaft 8 carries a ratchet wheel 10 adaptedto be engaged by a dog or pawl 11, whereby the shaft may be locked infixed position to hold the stabilizer rod and weight elevated or inposition of adjustment.

By means of the elevating or raising and lowering mechanism the rod andweight may be held elevated in a normal or neutral position, in whichthe leverage action thereof on the machine is substantially nil, inwhich position the stabilizator will not interfere with the ordinarycontrol of the machine in steering and banking said machine, which maybe listed longitudinally or laterally without resistance from thestabilizator.

The rod and weight form a plumb lever adjustable perpendicularly to theplane of the machine, and to a greater or less extent below the body ofthe machine, whereby when the machine tilts either longitudinally orlaterally said lever, operating through the force of gravity, willrestore the machine to a balanced position.

By reference to Fig. 1, showing in dotted lines the machine tiltedlongitudinally in one direction, it will be seen that the lever whenlowered, owing to its path of movement perpendicularly to the plane ofthe machine, will lie at an angle to the vertical and operate throughits leverage force in returning to a vertical position to right themachine. Similarly when the machine tilts laterally in one direction orthe other, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the lowered lever inshifting laterally therewith will assume a position at an angle to thevertical and through its leverage force in returning to normal positionwill right the machine. It will, of course, be understood that thelength and weight of the lever may be varied to suit differentcontingencies of service, depending upon the size and weight of themachine to which it is applied, and that the aviator by adjusting itdownward to a greater or less extent may vary its leverage force to theamount required depending upon the weight of the machine and the degreeto which it tilts out of balanced position. In practice, any suitablemeans for adjustingor raising and lowering the lever may be employed andany suitable type of means adopted for looking it in adjusted position.If desired, the cable may be wound one or more times around the pulleyo1 sheave 6, which may be made of less diameter than the drum 7 so thatin the motion of the drum themotion of the pulley or sheave will bemultiplied to enable the weight to be quickly raised or lowered.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is:

A flying machine including a main frame carrying a pair of superposedplanes, the lower plane havlng an opening therein at or ad acent to 1tsiront edge, a gulde tube secured to the main frame adjacent to saidlower plane and extending at its lower end through said opening, a guidepulley arranged in proximity to the opening and guide extending throughthe opening and over 35 said guide pulley.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature 1n presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS D. GREEK. l/Vitnesscs F. W. KIDDER, J. R. HAMILTON.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

